Curved vault luminaire system

ABSTRACT

A normally flat lighted suspended ceiling system has been modified to incorporate the use of curved ceiling panels and lighting fixtures which have three-sided lenses. The light fixture will provide light through its normally downwardly facing lens. In addition, the curved ceiling panel permits the light fixture to transmit light from the sides of the lighting fixture. This provides an improved uniformity of illumination of both the ceiling and the area below the ceiling.

United States Patent [191 Alexieff et al.

CURVED VAULT LUMINAIRE SYSTEM Inventors: Stephen T. Alexieff; James C.

Ollinger, both of Lancaster, Pa.

Assignee: Armstrong Cork Company,

Lancaster, Pa.

Filed: Sept. 20, 1972 Appl. No.: 290,757

1.1.8. CI. 240/78 LD, 52/28, 52/474 Int. Cl F21v 13/00, E04b 5/52, E04f 19/06 Field of Search 240/9 R, 78 LD;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Harz 240/9 R X Meckler 240/9 R X Dec. 18, 1973 3,209,137 9/1965 Stahlhut 240/9 R 3,343,310 9/1967 Netz et a1. 52/484 X 3,435,204 3/1969 Lepak 240/9 R X 3,509,668 5/1970 Ollinger et a1. 240/9 R X Primary Examiner-Joseph F. Peters, Jr. Attorney-Clifford B. Price [5 7 ABSTRACT A normally flat lighted suspended ceiling system has been modified to incorporate the use of curved ceiling panels and lighting fixtures which have three-sided lenses. The light fixture will provide light through its normally downwardly facing lens. In addition, the curved ceiling panel permits the light fixture to transmit light from the sides of the lighting fixture. This provides an improved uniformity of illumination of both the ceiling and the area below the ceiling.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 CURVED VAULT LUIVIINAIRE SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a suspended ceiling lighting fixture assembly and, more particularly, to'a curved vault ceiling system used in conjunction with a light fixture.

2. Description of the Prior Art A number of different ceiling systems are currently available on the market. One of the most commonly used ceiling systems is that shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,321,877, wherein a vaulted ceiling system is utilized with the light means being mounted in the apex of the vault. I

U. S. Pat. No. 3,396,497 shows another type of vaulted ceiling system wherein the light means is mounted behind the vaulted structure. Therein light is reflected through the sides of the vaulted ceiling system.

Finally, U. S. Pat. No. 3,665,177 discloses a vaulted ceiling system wherein a side-like element is a lens and light is transmitted through the lens to illuminate the area below the ceiling. The lens structure is used in conjunction with acoustical ceiling boards.

.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists of a combination of curved ceiling panels and a conventional lighting fixture with folded, three-sided, plastic lenses which have a flat 2 ft. x 4 ft. face and two vertical sides running parallel to their length and extending upwardly beyond the curved ceiling panels. Any conventional exposed grid suspension system may be used with the main runners running perpendicularly to the curve in the ceiling panels and to the 4-foot dimension of the fixture. The reflectors within the lighting fixture are so positioned that they permit full illumination through the vertical sides of the lens as well as through the flat bottom of the lens. The vertical sides of the lens direct light onto the curved panels while the horizontal portion of the lens directs light downwardly so that there is provided improved uniformity of illumination.

The invention herein is particularly pleasing in appearance since it eliminates the characteristic square edge effect which exists now in most vaulted luminaire systems. In addition, the system provides for better overall illumination while the use of increased acoustical panel area in the ceiling over that which would exist in a normal flat ceiling results in improved acoustical qualities for the ceiling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a view in perspective of a ceiling according to the invention; and

FIG. II is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the ceiling of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. I there is shown the ceiling system of the invention herein. For simplicity of explanation and to enable the ceiling structure to be readily shown, the ceiling system has been shown with an exposed grid system. As will be indicated later, the system need not be used with a fully exposed grid system. The ceiling boards within the ceiling system are held in place by the conventional inverted T-shaped suspension ceiling runners which are arranged in a grid pattern. These run ners 2 have the ceiling boards resting upon the horizontal flanges of the runners.

As shown in FIG. I, the ceiling system is composed of lights 4, four curved acoustical panels 6 and a surrounding array of flat acoustical panels 8. It is obvious that the ceiling system could be made completely of curved panels and lights. The curved ceiling panels are normally made with a curvature which will provide a depth of 3 to 15 inches at the midpoint of the curve when measured relative to a plane which includes the two ends of the panel. The panels normally span a 4- foot width as they curve or are from one end of the panel to the opposite end of the panel. The panels are normally 2 feet in width. Naturally, the panels could be larger or smaller. The panels are made of conventional acoustical ceiling materials such as that shown in the above-mentioned prior art structures. The ceiling boards may be readily formed in a flat condition or a curved position, depending upon the position the boards are held in while their wet form structure is dried.

As shown in FIG. II, the curved ceiling panels 6 are held in place at their ends by being placed upon the horizontal flanges 10 of conventional inverted T- shaped grid members. Consequently, the panels are supported at their two ends and span the 4-foot distance between the two grid members. Between two adjacent curved panels 6 there is placed a lighting assembly 4. The lighting assembly 4 is provided with a lens 12 which is U-shaped. The lens has a flat bottom section 14 and two side sections 16. The two side sections 16 extend upwardly from the flat bottom portion 14 sufficiently to. reach up to and possibly beyond the front surface of the curved panels 6. The lights 18 are so positioned within the lens structure that light will be permitted to go both through the sides 16 of the lens to illuminate the curved ceiling boards and also to pass downwardly through the bottom 1.4 of the lens to illuminate the area below the ceiling.

On the side of the curved panel 6 opposite from the light, there is normally placed a flat ceiling board 20 to close in the space at the curved edge of the panel 6. This board 20 would rest on one flange of a grid member 22. A flat ceiling'board 8 would rest on the other flange of the grid member 22. The lens element 12 is normally suspended in position by being fastened to the housing for the lights 18. The housing in turn is normally supported from the main ceiling structure.

The ceiling boards 6 and 8 are normally provided with acoustical openings. However, the ceiling boards need not be provided with acoustical openings, but could simply be smooth surface boards. If the ceiling boards are faced with a polymeric material, a semiexposed type of grid layout is possible and very attractive. The polymeric facing may be used as a hinge to form folded panels having a flat horizontal face and a vertical leg to provide the continuation from the curve to the flat areas at the end of a row of panels. In effect, what you would have is one long continuous board which would be supported only at its ends and would move from a flat surface 8 forming one of the panels 8, to a curved surface forming one of the panels 6, to possibly a second curved surface forming a second panel 6, and then onward to a flat panel structure forming a panel 8. Rather than having a support structure between each flat and curved panel, the polymeric facing would function as a hinge to join together these two surfaces. There would only be provided runners to support the edge of this one long continuous board with the series of curved and flat surfaces, and no support would need to be provided at the transition point between a flat surface and a curved surface.

It is obvious that a ceiling system may be provided with a number of different configurations The major feature of the ceiling system is that there is provided a curved panel placed adjacent a lighting fixture. The lighting fixture is then provided with a three-sided lens structure so that the light will be able to project light downwardly into the main room structure but also sidewardly through the side lens onto the curved ceiling panel. This then provides improved uniformity of illumination both on the ceiling and to the area below the ceiling.

What is claimed is:

l. A curved vault illuminated ceiling system which comprises a support means for supporting the ceiling system components in position in the ceiling of a building, said ceiling components comprising primarily a curved ceiling panel of relatively uniform radius being positioned adjacent the lens of a lighting fixture, said curved ceiling panel having its curvature in only one plane and the curved edge of the panel being placed adjacent the lens of said lighting fixture, said lens of said lighting fixture having a bottom surface facing downwardly into the room area below the ceiling system and at least one side adjacent the curved edge of the curved ceiling panel so that light from the lighting means will be projected both downwardly into the room and sidewardly towards the surface of the curved ceiling panel.

2. The ceiling system of claim 1 wherein the lens of the lighting fixture is substantially U-shaped with two side structures and a bottom structure and curved panels are placed adjacent each side structure of the lens to form a three-part module structure which comprises two curved ceiling boards and a flat surface lens therebetween with the sides of the lens extending upwardly and adjacent the edges of the curved ceiling board.

3. The ceiling system of claim 2 wherein there is also provided flat ceiling panels adjacent the curved ceiling panels to provide a combination flat ceiling system and curved ceiling system within the same overall ceiling arrangement of panels.

4. A curved vault illuminated ceiling system which comprises a support means for supporting the ceiling system components in position in the ceiling ofa building, said ceiling components comprising primarily a curved ceiling panel of relatively uniform radius being positioned adjacent the lens of a lighting fixture, said lens of said lighting fixture being substantially U- shaped with two side structures and a bottom structure, the bottom surface of the lens facing downwardly into the room area below the ceiling system and the sides of the lens being adjacent the curved edges of curved ceiling panels so that the bottom structure of the lens and two curved panels on either side thereof form a threepart module structure which comprises two curved ceiling boards and a flat surface lens therebetween with the sides of the lens extending upwardly and adjacent the edges of the curved ceiling board whereby light from the lighting means will be projected both downwardly into the room and sidewardly towards the surface of the curved ceiling panel.

5. The ceiling system of claim 4 wherein there is also provided flat ceiling panels adjacent the curved ceiling panels to provide a combination flat ceiling system and curved ceiling system within the same overall ceiling 

1. A curved vault illuminated ceiling system which comprises a support means for supporting the ceiling system components in position in the ceiling of a building, said ceiling components comprising primarily a curved ceiling panel of relatively uniform radius being positioned adjacent the lens of a lighting fixture, said curved ceiling panel having its curvature in only one plane and the curved edge of the panel being placed adjacent the lens of said lighting fixture, said lens of said lighting fixture having a bottom surface facing downwardly into the room area below the ceiling system and at least one side adjacent the curved edge of the curved ceiling panel so that light from the lighting means will be projected both downwardly into the room and sidewardly towards the surface of the curved ceiling panel.
 2. The ceiling system of claim 1 wherein the lens of the lighting fixture is substantially U-shaped with two side structures and a bottom structure and curved panels are placed adjacent each side structure of the lens to form a three-part module structure which comprises two curved ceiling boards and a flat surface lens therebetween with the sides of the lens extending upwardly and adjacent the edges of the curved ceiling board.
 3. The ceiling system of claim 2 wherein there is also provided flat ceiling panels adjacent the curved ceiling panels to provide a combination flat ceiling system and curved ceiling system within the same overall ceiling arrangement of panels.
 4. A curved vault illuminated ceiling system which comprises a support means for supporting the ceiling system components in position in the ceiling of a building, said ceiling components comprising primarily a curved ceiling panel of relatively uniform radius being positioned adjacent the lens of a lighting fixture, said lens of said lighting fixture being substantially U-shaped with two side structures and a bottom structure, the bottom surface of the lens facing downwardly into the room area below the ceiling system and the sides of the lens being adjacent the curved edges of curved ceiling panels so that the bottom structure of the lens and two curved panels on either side thereof form a three-part module structure which comprises two curved ceiling boards and a flat surface lens therebetween with the sides of the lens extending upwardly and adjacent the edges of the curved ceiling board whereby light from the lighting means will be projected both downwardly into the room and sidewardly towards the surface of the curved ceiling panel.
 5. The ceiling system of claim 4 wherein there is also provided flat ceiling panels adjacent the curved ceiling panels to provide a combination flat ceiling system and curved ceiling system within the same overall ceiling arrangement of panels. 